Visualization of the region’s vision
Illustration: Samuel Bucheli
Highlights
Climate neutrality: The Oberland-Ost region steps forward with a vision
How can a whole region become climate neutral? Emerging from a scientifically supported process and published in May 2023, the brochure “Climate Neutral Region Oberland-Ost” presents the vision pursued by the Swiss Oberland-Ost region and shows how the goal of climate neutrality can be achieved.
Climate change poses major challenges to tourism and mountain regions. It demands comprehensive changes in housing, transport, and the economy. If the necessary transformations are tackled actively and planned jointly, it can open up many great opportunities for regional development.
In 2019, the Regional Conference Oberland-Ost in Switzerland’s canton of Bern adopted the strategic development goal of steering the region towards climate neutrality. To achieve this goal, a joint development process comprising numerous regional stakeholders was launched at the end of 2021. The issue of climate neutrality was taken up by representatives from the public sector, local associations and organizations, the tourism and transportation industries, energy producers and suppliers, the private sector more broadly, as well as agriculture and forestry.
The results of the process are summarized in a German-language brochure. It offers an accounting of the region’s greenhouse gases, provides insights into local challenges, and presents the visions for the future in seven thematic areas. In addition, it outlines the necessary steps to achieve the corresponding goals.